Neoseiulus leucophaeus (Athias-Henriot)

Stathakis, Theodoros I., Kapaxidi, Eleftheria V. & Papadoulis, Georgios Th., 2013, Two new species of the genus Neoseiulus Hughes (Acari: Phytoseiidae) from Greece with re-description of Neoseiulus leucophaeus (Athias-Henriot), Zootaxa 3681 (5), pp. 563-572 : 568-570

Re-description of Neoseiulus leucophaeus (Athias-Henriot)

Neoseiulus leucophaeus (Athias-Henriot)

Amblyseius leucophaeus Athias-Henriot, 1959: 139 .

Typhlodromus (Amblyseius) leucophaeus .— Chant, 1959: 99.

Phytodromus leucophaeus .— Muma, 1961: 291; Denmark, 1993: 112.

Typhlodromus leucophaeus .— Hirschmann, 1962: 3.

Amblyseius (Amblyseius) leucophaeus .—van der Merwe, 1968: 113.

Neoseiulus leucophaeus .— Chant & McMurtry, 2003: 31; Moraes et al., 2004: 128; Chant & McMurtry, 2007: 29; Prasad, 2012: 76.

Material examined. Seven female and five male specimens collected at Fraggokastelo, Co. Chania, Crete, 5 June 2010, on Thymelaea hirsuta (L.) Endl. ( Thymelaeaceae ); three female specimens collected at Hymettos Mountain, Co, Attiki, Sterea Hellas, 18 March 2012, on Thymelaea hirsuta (L.) Endl. ( Thymelaeaceae ).

Diagnosis. This species belongs to the leucophaeus species group Chant & McMurtry, by having setae ZV3 absent; setae ST3 inserted off the sternal shield; peritreme short; dorsal setae short; legs I–III without macrosetae; spermatheca pocular.

Female (n = 10). Dorsum ( Figure 11 ). Dorsal setal pattern 10A:9B (r3 and R1 on interscutal membrane). Dorsal shield oval with waist, sclerotised, reticulated, bearing four pairs of solenostomes (anterior to j3, median to z4, posterolateral to j6 and anterior to S5); ten pairs of small pores (sensilla) visible on dorsal shield; muscle-marks (sigilla) visible, mostly on podosoma, length of dorsal shield (j1–J5) 350 (333–368), width (distance between bases of s4) 155 (143–162) (distance between bases of S2) 187 (170–198). All dorsal setae smooth except for Z5, which are serrated. Measurements of dorsal setae as follows: j1 15 (14–16), j3 19 (16–20), j4 13 (10–14), j5 13 (10–14), j6 13 (10–16), J2 17 (16–20), J5 8 (6–10), z2 19 (18–22), z4 20 (18–22), z5 13 (10–14), Z1 20 (16–24), Z4 30 (26– 32), Z5 43 (40–48), s4 24 (22–26), S2 24 (22–26), S4 17 (14–22), S5 10 (8–12), r3 19 (16–22) and R1 16 (14–20).

Peritreme. Extending to level of setae r3.

Venter ( Figure 12 ). Ventral setal pattern 14:JV-3:ZV-3. Sternal shield smooth, slightly sclerotised, with two pairs of setae (ST1 and ST2) and two pairs of pores (pst1 and pst2); length (ST1–ST2) 44 (42–46), width (distance between setae ST2) 52 (50–53); sternal setae ST3 free on integument; metasternal setae ST4 and a pair of pores (pst3) on metasternal shields. Genital shield smooth; width at level of genital setae (ST5) 59 (53–63). Ventrianal shield vase shaped, with reticulations around anus, without preanal solenostomes, with three pairs of preanal setae (JV1, JV2 and ZV2), anal setae (a1, a2 and a3) and sigilla posterolaterally. Length of ventrianal shield 112 (99– 117), width 76 (69–83). Setae JV4, JV5, ZV1 and nine pairs of pores on integument surrounding ventrianal shield. Setae JV5 smooth, 21 (20–24) in length.

Chelicerae ( Figure 13 ). Fixed digit 22 (20–24) long with seven visible teeth, with pilus dentilis; movable digit 22 (20–24) long with one bifid tooth.

Spermatheca ( Figure 14 ). Calyx dish-shaped, 11 (10–14) in width; atrium bulbous; major duct long and narrow, minor duct visible.

Legs ( Figure 15 ). Length of legs (base of coxae to base of claws): leg I 249 (234–261); leg II 209 (186–218); leg III 210 (198–218); leg IV 267 (246–281). GeII, GeIII and GeIV with eight, seven and seven setae respectively; BtIV with one very short macroseta 18 (16–20) in length.

Male (n = 5). Dorsal setal pattern 10A:9B (r3 and R1 on dorsal shield). Dorsal shield oval, sclerotised, reticulated; length of dorsal shield (j1–J5) 257 (246–265), width (distance between bases of s4) 117 (113–123). Ventrianal shield reticulated ( Figure 17 ), with three pairs of preanal setae (JV1, JV2 and ZV2); length 105 (103– 107), width 126 (109–133). Fixed digit of chelicerae with six teeth and pilus dentilis, movable digit with one tooth; spermatodactyl foot T-shaped ( Figure 16 ), 27 (26–28) in length (from basal attachment point to tip of toe).

Distribution. Algeria ( Athias-Henriot, 1959), Greece (Stathakis & Papadoulis, 2012), Israel ( Swirski & Amitai, 1984, 1997).

Notes. Neoseiulus leucophaeus is unique species in the genus Neoseiulus due to its diagnostic characteristics. Chant & McMurtry (2003) placed this species in the leucophaeus species group by the combination of the absence of seta ZV3, having seta ST3 inserted on separate platelets, having the peritreme short, ventrianal shield without preanal solenostomes, the chelicerae with few teeth, dorsal setae short, legs I–III without macrosetae and the spermatheca pocular. Palevsky, Gal & Ueckermann (2009) placed Neoseiulus cozae Palevsky, Gal & Ueckermann in the leucophaeus species group but only due to the absence of seta ZV3. Its other morphological characters are the common for the genus Neoseiulus . Muma (1961) proposed the monotypic genus Phytodromus for Amblyseius leucophaeus (original designation of the species) but Denmark (1993) transferred six more species in this genus and as a result, Phytodromus leucophaeus remains unique also in the genus Phytodromus due to the morphological features already mentioned. Another interesting fact, is the relation of this species with its host plant Thymaelea hirsuta (L.) Endl. ( Thymelaeaceae ). Athias-Henriot (1959) collected N. leucophaeus from Thymaelea hirsuta in Algeria, Swirski & Amitai (1984) reported this species from the same host in Israel, and it is also reported from this host in Greece (Stathakis & Papadoulis, 2012). Thymaelea hirsuta is a native plant of the Mediterranean region, and this might suggest the origin of N. leucophaeus . The measurements of Greek specimens are very close to those of the holotype and also to those of the syntype of the species provided by Denmark (1993).

Figures

FIGURES 11 – 17. Neoseiulus leucophaeus. 11. Female, dorsal shield; 12. Female, ventral idiosoma; 13. Female, chelicera; 14. Female, spermatheca; 15. Female, leg IV; 16. Male, chelicera; 17. Male, ventrianal shield. Scale bar = 100 μm for 11, 12, 30 μm for 13, 14, 16, 60 μm for 15, 17.